122 AMERICAN GRAPE GROWIKG 



at that time owned a fruit ranch near Newcastle, Cali- 

 fornia, and he pronounced them superior to his own in 

 compactness and flavor. I propose to raise the above- 

 named varieties exclusively, feeling full assurance of 

 success. I have, so far, supplied the market of San 

 Antonio with my grapes, realizing twelve and a half 

 cents per pound, but am confident of obtaining better 

 prices in Northern markets when I begin to ship by the 

 carload. The shipping season extends from June 24 to 

 August 7, when there is no California grape in sight, 

 while the El Paso grapes from the Rio Grande region 

 are just beginning to come in, giving us, therefore, the 

 best opportunities to monopolize the market. The yield 

 of some varieties is enormous. For example, the Black 

 Spanish (Lenoir) yielded, without irrigation, during the 

 last two (dry) years, from 20 to 50 large bunches per 

 vine (vines 12 feet apart and trained on three wires) ; 

 next comes Herbemont, also a prolific bearer and safer 

 than the first, being immure from all disease, while the 

 first, in wet years, shows signs of black rot. Wet years, 

 though, are a rarity. Of late, there have been many 

 vineyards started in my vicinity for wine-making pur- 

 poses, also around Luling and other places. In fact, 

 throughout Central and Southwestern Texas down to 

 Corpus Christi on the Gulf, both soil and climate are 

 eminently adapted to viticulture, requiring no irrigation, 

 as the rainfall during winter and part of spring is suffi- 

 cient and the clay holds moisture long enough to insure 

 the crop. 



I have also made wine, which I sell at one dollar a 

 gallon, but intend to abandon that branch except for 

 home use. My wines are made from the pure grape 

 juice, without the addition of sugar, water or anything 

 else, and are almost too alcoholic for my taste. Our 

 grapes contain much more sugar than the California 

 grapes now sold here, which taste watery. 



